Golf club indicator



March 27, 1,951

A. H. BRYANT GOLF CLUB INDICATOR Filed June 27, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l M h 7, 51 A. H. BRYANT 2,545,426

GOLF CLUB INDICATOR Filed June 2' 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/g.4. [Lee 66 62 54 q 170 "3 5mmk AfK/QMIIHI.

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Albert H. Bryant A rtarzz eyx March 27, 1951 A. H. BRYANT GOLF CLUB INDICATOR Filed June 27, 1949 13? 132 I26 ilzg/ I28 /22 Am I Albert H. Bryanf In a 'eu tor Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF CLUB INDICATOR --Albert H. Bryant, Floyds Knobs, Ind.

Applicationalune'fl'l, 1949;-Serial"No.' 101,630

10 Claims.

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in gauges and the primary object of the present invention isto provide a device for indicating the angular relationship between the head and the shank of a-golf club.

Another important object of the present inventionis to providea golf club indicator includ ing a base smemberrand a' plurality of units that are uickly and readily applied to or removed from the base-membersothat the angular relationship between a golf club shank and head can .be determined-flaswellas the vertical and horizontal.inclination of the striking face of a golf club" head.

Yet another object ofthe present invention is to provide a golf club indicator includinga base member, a footing carried by the base member and embodying novel and improved meansfor clamping the head of a golf club against the footing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide. awgolf club indicator including a footing upon whichhthe head of a golf club issupported and a novel and improved gauge unit for urging Jthe head of-a golf club against the footing.

A still further aim of the present invention is g to provide a golf club indicator that issimpleand practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, small and compact in structuraneat-and' uattractivein appearance, e'fiicient and durable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufac- .ture,.and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detailsof construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being hadito the accompanying drawings forming .part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

tially n the plane of section line 4-4 of 'Fig- 'ure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5- -5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 6--5 of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a perspective view iofntheobasememiberuused in conjunctionwiththe presentinvention;

Figure 8 is an enlargedifragmentary..side. elevational view showing thenloft indicating. unit in use;

Figure 9 is a sectional view .taken substantially on the plane of section. line v9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary topplan view of the present inventionandshowing the slice and hook indicator unit inuse; and,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevationalview of Figure 10.

' Referring now to the .drawings -in detail, wherein for the purpose of -illustration, there is I disclosed a preferred embodiment. of the present invention,-the numeral -IU represents an elongated base member having one encl l2 fixed to the central portion of a cross channel 15. The remaining end l6, of the base member It is provided with an elongated recess" or slot 3 in its upper surface for a purpose which will later become more fully apparent.

A substantially rectangular footing orbearing block v2!] is mounted in the cross channel iii-and includes an upper flat surface-22.

Means is provided for clamping the head-24 of a golf club 26 against the upper 'flat surface 22 of the footing 20 and this means-comprises a I bracket or angulated' strap 23 that is fixed to the cross channel M. Thebracket 28 includes a horizontally extending arm 39 that-supports an internally threaded sleeve 32. The sleeve 32 is concentric with an opening in the arm and receivably engages a screw or threaded rod 3 3 havinga hand grip-36 at its upper end.

A pressure member 3815 swiveled,-as attfl, to the lower reduced end of the rod 34 and the pressure member includes a resilient pad-t2 having a lower concaved surface-44.

The numeral 26 represents a carriage or sliding member having its lower edge received in-Jthe slot I8. Pins 48 project laterally from the lower end of the carriage 46 and are slidably received in longitudinal slots or guide openings 50 provided in the side faces of the base member lil.

Means is provided for moving the carriage longitudinally ofthe base member Ill and toward or away from the cross channel It. This latest means comprises a pair of spaced parallel rack bars 52 and 54 that are detachably secured' to the upper face of the base member is.

A bearing sleeve 56is carried by the carriage 46 and receives a manually-'rotatable'shaft 58 having end portions'fio and- 62- on which there is 3 keyed a pair of toothed wheels or gears 64 and 66 that engage the rack bars 52 and 54. A finger grip 68 is secured to the shaft whereby the same may be conveniently rotated.

The central portion of an elongated support I is pivoted, as at 12, for vertical movement on the carriage 46. The support I0 is provided with rearwardly converging edges '14 and I6 and a pointer I8 projects outwardl from the point where the edges 14 and IS meet. The pointer 18 is registerable with a graduated plate 89 secured to the carriage 46.

A pair of co-axial hooks 82 and 84 project outwardly from the forward concaved edge 86 of the support and receive the handle portion 88 and shank portion 90 of the golf club 26. An elongated coil spring 92 is anchored at one end to a loop 94 on the central portion of the edge 86 and the other end of the spring 92 is provided with a hook that embraces the shank of the golf club to yielding retain the shank and handle portion of the golf club in the hooks or V-shaped seats 82 and 84.

In practical use of the present invention the head of the golf club is first clamped against the upper surface 22 of the footing 20 and then the shank 90 is placed in the seats 82 and 84 and held therein by the spring 92. Next it is merely necessary to read the indicia on plate 8i; ind cated by the pointer I8 to determine the angular relationship between the shank 99 and the flat lower face of the head 24.

Attention is now directed to Figures 8 and 9 wherein there is disclosed the unit for determining the angular relationship between the lower fiat face I00 of the golf club head 24 and the striking face I82 of the head 24. This unit I04 replaces the carriage 46 and consists of another carriage I06 having a hand grip I68 applied thereto so that the carriage can be moved in the slot in the cross channel I4.

A swinging member I i0 is pivoted, as at II2, to one side face of the carriage I05. One end of th member H0 supports a U-shaped pressure member or hearing member I I4 and the other end of the member IIO supports a pointer IIB that registers with a graduated plate I I8 secured to one side face of the carriage I05.

In practical use of the unit I04 the face I00 of the golf club head 24 is held against the upper flat surface 22 of the footing 20 and the carriage I06 is moved until the member H4 bears against the striking face I02 of the golf club head 24. Next the indicia or degree at which the pointer is placed on the plate H8 is determined.

Reference is next directed to Figures 10 and 11, wherein there is disclosed the unit for determining the angular relationship between the striking surface I02 and the lower face I00 and hence the hook or slice of the golf club. This latest unit I20 includes a carriage I22 having its lower portion slidably received in the cross channel [4.

The carriage I22 is provided with a hand grip I24 so that the same can be moved toward and away from the footing 20 on which the golf club head 24 is supported.

A swinging member or support I26 is pivoted, as at I28, to the upper fiat face of the carriage I22. A bearing member or U-shaped element I30 is secured to one end of the member I26 and a pointer I32 at the other end of the member I26 registers with a graduate plate I34 mounted on the upper flat face of the carriage I22.

When the member I30 bears against the strik- 4 ing face I02, an angle can be read upon the plate It should be noted, that if the intended, and predetermined, angular relationship between the shank and head is not correct an additional coating of lacquer is applied to the lower flat face of the golf club head or the lower flat face is sanded. depending of course, whether the angle is too great or too small. This procedure is also followed with the use of the units I04 or I20 for obtaining the proper hook, slice and loft of the golf club.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A golf club indicator comprising a base member, a footing mounted on said base member, means carried by said base member for clamping the head of a golf club against the footing and including a vertically adjustable member overlying the footing, a carriage movable on said base member, grippin means carried by said carriage for engaging and holding the shank and handle of a golf club and indicating means mounted on the carriage for determining the angle between the head and the shank of a golf club.

2. The combination of claim 1 and means for moving the carriage in a step by step adjustment on the base member.

s 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said means for moving the carriage in a step by step adjustment on the base member includes a rack bar mounted on said base member, a manually rotated shaft journaled on said carriage, and a gear keyed on said shaft and engaging said rack bar.

4. A golf club indicator comprising a base member, a footing mounted on said base member, means carried by said base member for clamping the head of a golf club against the footing, a carriage movable on said base member, a swing- .able support pivoted to said carriage, means carried by said support for engaging the shank and handle portion of a golf club, means carried by said support holding the shank and handle portion of a golf club against said engaging means and indicating means mounted on the carriage for determining the pivotal movement of the support relative to the carriage for indicating the angle between the head .and shank of a golf club.

5. A golf club indicator comprising a base member, a footing mounted on said base member, a vertically adjustable head carried by said base member and overlying said footing for clamping the head of a golf club against the footing, a carriage movable on said base member, a vertically swingable support pivoted to said carriage, means carried by said support for engaging and holding the shank and handle portion of a golf club on said support, a pointer fixed to said support, and a graduated plate mounted on said carriage and registerable with said pointer to indicate the angle between the head and shank of a golf club.

6. The combination of claim 5 and means for adjusting the carriage longitudinally upon the base member and relative to the footing, said adjusting means including a pair of spaced parallel rack bars mounted on said base member, a manually rotatable shaft journaled on said carriage, and a pair of toothed wheels carried by said shaft and engaging the rack bars.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said support includes a pair of co-axial hook members for embracing the shank and handle portion of a golf club.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said means carried by said support for engaging and holding the shank and handle portion of a golf club relative to said support includes an elongated spring member mounted on said support and having a terminal hook for embracing the shank of a golf club.

9. A golf club indicator comprising an elongated base member, a footing mounted at one end of said base member, means carried by said base member at the same end of the base member as said footing for clamping the head of .a golf club against the footing, a carriage movable on said base member, means carried by said carriage for engaging the shank and handle of a golf club, and indicating means mounted on the carriage for determining the angle between the head and the shank of a golf club, said means carried by said base member for clamping the head of a golf club against the footing including a holding arm, an internally threaded sleeve carried by said holding arm, a screw threaded in said sleeve, and a pressure member swiveled to said screw.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said pressure member includes a resilient block having a concaved lower face.

ALBERT H. BRYANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 583,706 Kearns June 1, 1897 616,256 Platt Dec. 20, 1898 1,769,129 Graham July 1, 1930 2,399,610 West Apr. 30, 1946 

